“Nextel Communications “improperly obtained” prototypes of Verizon Wireless cell phones with a walkie-talkie feature, Verizon alleged in a lawsuit filed Friday.
The charges surface about a week before Verizon Wireless is set to introduce cell phones that connect instantly. Nextel has so far been the sole U.S. carrier to offer such a “push to talk” service.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Virginia, claims Nextel obtained prototypes of Verizon cell phones to “obtain valuable, confidential, and proprietary business information,” then share any negative news with industry analysts, according to an account of the suit in The Wall Street Journal.” [News.com]